gut brain therapy

28 October 2013

6 Key Stomach/Gut Terms related to Migraine

Abdominal Migraine Common in children, but also seen in adults. A type of migraine that could include stomach pain and nausea, and may not include headache.
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) Particularly in children, this could be related to migraine or could actually be a type of migraine.
Gastric Stasis A common condition in migraine patients – a delayed emptying of the stomach – which can keep medications from working properly.
Gut-Brain Connection The enteric nervous system or “second brain” in the gut may explain why diet and treatment of stomach issues are closely connected to migraine.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) A common disorder comorbid with migraine.
Nausea One of the most common symptoms of migraine (including vomiting).

21 July 2011

Probiotics: Fighting Migraine and More?

We’ve discussed probiotics here before, as part of the arsenal that could fight migraine in particular. Probiotics are the good bacteria that comes in fermented foods like yogurt, as well as certain supplements.

Studies on how probiotics are used by the body suggest that they may have some very tangible health benefits (of course – we knew that!). The head researcher, Professor Mark Lyte, points out: "There is already evidence to suggest that the connection between gut microbes and the nervous system represents a viable route for influencing neurological function. A recent study in mice, for example, showed that the presence of neurochemicals such a serotonin in the bloodstream was due to direct uptake from the gut."

Serotonin? That’s a very common word in migraine research for sure. Could this be one reason why probiotics are helping migraine patients?

Commenting on the research, Dr Gregor Reid writes:

Until recently the idea that probiotic bacteria administered to the intestine could influence the brain seemed almost surreal. Yet in Lyte’s paper the concept is supported by studies showing that microbes can produce and respond to neurochemicals, which can induce neurological and immunological effects on the host.

The research presents an idea for selecting probiotic strains with neurological applications and linking this with immune-modulatory effects, while highlighting the fact that microbial strains already being widely ingested in fermented food can produce neurochemicals.

The moral of the story is that probiotics could fight not only migraine, but things like depression and anxiety. That’s in addition to issues such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Could it be that in the future there will be specific migraine probiotic supplements? I bet there will be – but before you buy them, wait until the research catches up with the marketing! 🙂

Meanwhile, try a quality brand of probiotics, such as these ones.

via A Gut-Full of Probiotics for Your Neurological Well-Being

10 March 2011

1% Thursday: Natural Combo

James Tips, Treatments 0

I don’t often mention specific products for 1% Thursday, so today will be the exception. Of course, most 1% Thursday tips are quick and easy, so a minimum of several weeks of treatment is pushing the limits a bit.

However, there is a natural supplement, a combination treatment, that is an excellent representative of that class of treatments. It’s a great place to start if you’re thinking of starting. So, I’m breaking the mold after dozens of 1% Thursday posts, and mentioning ForeverWell.

Believe it or not, for hundreds – perhaps thousands of years, migraine has been associated with a particular part of the body – besides the obvious (the head!). That part of the body is the gut. Although the close connection has been suspected for a long long time, it’s only in recent years that researchers have really started to study the gut and realize what a huge part it plays in the functions of the body.

ForeverWell is a supplement that’s different from many of the combo-treatments you may have seen, because it focuses on stomach and digestive health.

Now, we know that many stomach and digestive problems go along with migraine. And we know that these problems can even make migraine worse – for example, by slowing absorbtion of your medication.

ForeverWell is designed to hit migraine, other headaches, and also these digestive issues. It contains fish protein, veg greens, and carefully chosen vitamins and minerals. Included in these are well-known migraine-fighters, such as riboflavin and magnesium.

Try ForeverWell for 90 days, keeping a headache/migraine diary, and also paying attention to your digestive health and overall feeling of well being. You can even try this during other medical treatments (as always, it’s wise to check with your doctor).

Read more about ForeverWell here, or head directly to the ForeverWell website.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!